What is the Win7 upgrade process?
- How does the upgrade process work exactly? Say I purchase a Win7 upgrade CD:
would I need to just supply a license key from XP/Vista when I'm running the Win7 installation? how would Microsoft know that the license from XP/Vista is valid if this is the case? are the Win7 upgrade DVDs embedded with the license key before being shipped off? (seems possible, though not practical)
Or.....
would I need to insert the original Windows XP/Vista DVD as the Win7 installation begins (I'm assuming it will request it at some point)? If it's this, how will this work with OEM versions of WinXp/Vista? Some OEMs only have recovery CDs that just restore a factory image to the HDD.
Or.....
would I need to have WinXp/Vista installed and run Win7 from within the OS? if this is the case, wouldn't this seem to be a big waste of time (and a pain in the ____) since 1) old CD/DVDs can become damaged/lost and 2) if the HDD crashes that would mean you would have to re-install the original OS (whether XP/Vista) just to install Win7.
I've never done upgrades, but the Win7 deals looks pretty good so I wanted some clarification before I shell out $100 for Win7 Pro.
Answers
BP88,
The upgrade process and procedures are purely speculation at this point by anyone who gives an explanation of how it will work. All we know currently is we will be able to do an Upgrade (in-place upgrade) or a Custom (clean) installation. Microsoft nor anyone in these forums has any documented procedures since no one has the Upgrade media.- Marked As Answer byLawrence GarvinMVP, AnswererFriday, July 03, 2009 12:55 AM
All Replies
- In order to install Windows 7 Upgrade, you must have a qualifying Windows operating system currently installed.
While at the Windows Desktop, insert the Windows 7 Upgrade disc in the DVD drive. After a few moments the
setup menu will appear and you can select Upgrade or Custom Installation. The Custom Installation option will
start a "clean install" of Windows 7 Upgrade.
Carey Frisch I have the full retail XP. After the upgrade will my XP license still be valid?
After the upgrade, will my Win7 change to full retail, or will I still have to re-install XP whenever I re-install Win7?
Currently I can re-install and activate my XP any number of times. Will that be the case with this Win7 upgrade, or is there a limit to the number of activations allowed?- Thanks for the clarification. Where did you get that from by the way? This is a tough one. I can't fanthom having to install an old OS just to install a new one. Plus Vista Ultimate has worked great for me so far. But on the flip side, the chances of a HDD crashing or of Windows 7 becoming unbootable are slim (which are the only two major cases I think of where I'd have to reinstall my old OS to install Win7). Hmm, decisions, decisions, decisions.
- Here's another question.
Once the Windows 7 upgrade CD verifies that the current version of Windows installed is valid, does the computer restart and boot into the upgrade CD? Or does the entire upgrade setup take place while the current version of Windows is running in the background?
Assuming the answer to the previous question is that the computer doesn't reboot into the upgrade CD, is there any point in the Upgrade process in which you will be able to delete the old partition and/or create new partitions? I say this because I know there are some versions of XP which run on FAT32 (I think I may have even seen versions of Vista doing this, not too sure). I imagine Windows 7 is supposed to run on NTFS. I'm asking all that just to be clear that a 'clean' install is just that, a clean install because if it doesn't 1) allow you to delete the partitionrestart/boot up, I can't see how it's really a 'clean' install.
BP88,
The upgrade process and procedures are purely speculation at this point by anyone who gives an explanation of how it will work. All we know currently is we will be able to do an Upgrade (in-place upgrade) or a Custom (clean) installation. Microsoft nor anyone in these forums has any documented procedures since no one has the Upgrade media.- Marked As Answer byLawrence GarvinMVP, AnswererFriday, July 03, 2009 12:55 AM
- KeithG2,
thats the best answer I've read in the last 2 weeks, and I'm sure you're right. I've read answers that say they have talked to Microsoft and this is so and so, but i've also read others that say differently. I wish Microsoft would post some real information or send out notices of what to expect! So far everything is just speculation with no concrete information to go by like you said. - Is there a number I can call to ask Microsoft myself? Or is there a way to verify that the information posted by Carey Frisch is legitimate?
